Enterprise Completes Seventh NGL Fractionator Complex

Source: www.gulfoilandgas.com 9/17/2013, Location: North America

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD) announced that the seventh natural gas liquids (“NGL”) fractionator at the partnership’s Mont Belvieu, Texas complex is now operational. The new unit, which has the capability to fractionate up to 85,000 barrels per day (“BPD”) of NGL, increases total fractionation capacity at Enterprise’s Mont Belvieu facility to 570,000 BPD. The seventh fractionator will facilitate the increasing NGL production from domestic shale plays, including the Eagle Ford in South Texas, and other basins in the Rocky Mountain and Mid-continent regions. Rising NGL production from the shale plays continues to provide a cost advantage for the global petrochemical industry which favors natural gas-derived feedstocks over more expensive crude oil-based derivatives.

“With the completion of our newest fractionator ahead of schedule and within budget, we continue to demonstrate our ability to respond quickly, efficiently and safely to the midstream infrastructure requirements of the evolving domestic energy landscape and create value for our customers,” said Michael A. Creel, chief executive officer of Enterprise’s general partner. “Our eighth fractionator is also running ahead of schedule and should be in-service by mid-fourth quarter 2013. Fractionators seven and eight will increase total capacity at the partnership’s Mont Belvieu complex to 655,000 BPD, compared to 400,000 BPD just three years ago. System wide, Enterprise’s fractionation capacity will expand to more than 1 million BPD with the addition of the two new NGL fractionators.”

The seventh and eighth fractionators are being developed as part of a joint venture with Western Gas Partners, LP, an affiliate of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Enterprise will operate the new units and owns a 75 percent interest and Western Gas Partners has a 25 percent interest in each of the two fractionators.